A 97-year-old World Masters swimming champion affirmed her belief in the equality of women and men when she addressed a reception in the grounds of the Baha’i House of Worship in Sydney on Sunday.
“Baha’is come from all backgrounds, but we all believe in the equality of men and women,” Margo Bates OAM told a capacity audience attending a reception on 9 March to mark International Women’s Day.
But Mrs Bates has proven more than equal for her competitors when it comes to races in the swimming pool.
She is the current holder of 15 national swimming records and one world record. Last year she became the first woman in the 95-99 year old age group to swim 200 metres backstroke in an Australian competition.
Mind
A member of the Baha’i Faith for nearly 50 years, Mrs Bates attributed her remarkable achievements to the power of the mind, which she described as “the greatest power of all.”
“You have the power of the mind to be what you want to be,” she told the capacity audience.
“Anyone could do what I have done.”
Mrs Bates said she first dipped her toe in a swimming pool at the age of 87.
She told the story of a dream in which she believes she was encouraged by Abdu’l-Baha, the son of the founder of the Baha’i Faith, to “keep swimming.”
That eventually prompted her to visit her local pool and to ask a coach if he could teach her to swim.
Gold
Undeterred by the aches and pains caused by her first training sessions, she went on to win three gold medals in her first three races at the Masters Games held in Canberra in 1998.
Since then she has set 14 world records and won 181 gold medals. One of her catch phrases became: “Don’t talk to me about old, unless there’s a “g” in front of it.”
A particular highlight for her was when Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser presented her gold medals at a swimming event in Alice Springs.
She is now training three mornings a week (400 metres per session), preparing to compete at the FINA World Masters Championships to be held in Perth in April.
“We should live every second of every day to the best of our ability,” Mrs Bates said.
“Today is a gift – that’s why they call it the present,” she said.
Mrs Bates said that mental and physical activity was the secret to her longevity and health.
“I could have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel,” she said.
“But if someone says ‘shall we go out ? ’ I go.”
Mrs Bates said she loves being a Baha’i and meeting Baha’is from around the world.
She also enjoys public speaking and is planning to achieve a “Competent Toastmaster” award even though her eyesight does not allow her to read notes. Her next speech is on the history of the “Meals on Wheels” service.